Before Common Era?

“Before Common Era” is a term that until recently, I had never heard of. I was introduced to it when “Before Common Era,” somehow came up in conversation with my 19-year old daughter; a product of Franklin Public Schools, and a 2007 graduate of Franklin High School.

For the “uneducated” like me, “Before Common Era,” (BCE) is a non-religious alternative to the use of BC in designating the first period of the Gregorian Calendar.

I was fortunate, like other baby-boomers, to have grown up and gone to school in a “politically incorrect” time in America. Sadly, today’s schools sometimes place political correctness above historical fact, and our kids end up on the receiving end of historical revisionism fostered by the public education system.

Not one for political correctness and far from a religious fanatic, as a student of history I emailed Franklin School Board President David Szychlinski for an explanation, writing:

“I was surprised to learn from my 19-year old daughter—FHS class of 2007—that in elementary school, she was taught world/ancient history using the term “Before Common Era“ (BCE), a non-religious alternative to the use of “BC.”

Is this the case, and if so, please find out and tell me WHEN and WHY this decision was implemented into FPS curriculum?”

Szychlinski forwarded my email to Superintendent Steve Patz, asking him to “respond to my inquiry,” and included all school board members in his email.

CONTINUED...

Follows is the email exchange I had with Superintendent Patz:

Patz to Keller: With staff and principals gone for the summer it is difficult to inquire and respond to your request from an issue that occurred two years ago. I will look in to this with our curriculum director and see what information I can gather. What elementary school did she attend?

Keller to Patz: To clarify, the issue didn’t occur two years ago, my daughter graduated two years ago. Also, my son who will be a senior in fall confirmed what my daughter told me.

To answer your question, my daughter and son attended Pleasant View and Robinwood.

If Dave didn’t forward my original email to you, here’s my question:

WHEN and WHY this decision [BCE vs. BC] was implemented into FPS curriculum?

I would imagine this decision was not taken lightly and I would expect the district would document its decision. Your decision to involve the curriculum director seems prudent considering staff and principals [are] gone for the summer.

Thanks for getting back to me; I look forward to you getting to the bottom of this, soon.

Patz to Keller: Since this occurred a minimum of six years ago for your son and almost ten years or so for your daughter, to find out about a curricular decision that long ago will be difficult, if not impossible, since teachers and other personnel may have changed over time. Additionally, this reference may never have been adopted by anyone but could have been used by a singular teacher. At any rate, I will see what I can find out. I did speak to our curriculum director, who is new this year, and she has never heard of these terms being used.

Keller to Patz: I can appreciate the difficulty you and your staff may have in determining whether this is a years-old, curriculum decision, or a practice or personal decision undertaken by a single teacher, so I’ll cut to the chase by asking you to directly answer the following questions:

1. Currently, do FPS teachers and/or teacher’s aides, use “Before Common Era” (BCE) a non-religious alternative to “Before Christ,” (BC), to designate the first period of the Gregorian calendar (the era of prehistory and much of antiquity)?
2. Expanding this; currently, do FPS teachers and/or teacher’s aides, use CE, as a replacement for AD (Anno Domini), “The Year of Our Lord,” in their teaching?
3. Does FPS advocate the use of BC versus BCE, in its curriculum, and if so, has this been directly communicated to its teachers and administrators, and do FPS history text books use BC or BCE?

Thanks for sorting these things out for me.

Patz to Keller: I will research this and get back to you when I have something.

Tomorrow, Part 2: Is There Room For Teachers’ Personal Preferences in the Classroom?

Comments

[uc]

PATZ SHOWING WHAT HE IS MADE OF

Everyone wants a Superintendent that responds to the community, not just another politician in an empty suit with a bloated salary.

There is no way Patz can weasel out of his responsibility to do something about some obvious underhanded knavery in the past that brought about the uncalled-for change from BC to BCE. It is here and he knows it. I believe that the only reason he is "dancing" with you, Fred, is because he wants to find out how this devious change came about and who is fostering it. This is so he can wash his hands of it, pass the blame, and do nothing about it while citing precedent or some other lameness.

If what Patz says is true: "this reference may never have been adopted by anyone but could have been used by a singular teacher", I would have to say he should get an F for not knowing what the heck is going on in his area of responsibility. How long would it take for him to discover that a teacher or teachers were putrefying the minds of our youth by advocating pre-marital sex if you "protect" yourself, or instill a notion that socialism is superior to a democracy, or suggest that illicit drugs are okay if you "don't hurt anyone else". This could go on and on. To get the complete ugly picture, take a walk in the dark jungle of our public universities and colleges....you never know what you will find around any corner when it comes to the trash some of these so-called "educators", that they loosely employ, decide to contaminate our youth with.

I am guessing that Patz was probably a victim of this kind of environment and I predict that he will "place political correctness above historical fact, and our kids will again end up on the receiving end of HISTORICAL REVISIONISM fostered by the public education system." BC to BCE will just be the "thin edge of the wedge" while we have Patz around. I would to see him become "history". I would call that good "revisionism"....not to mention putting an end to his inordinate, superabundant salary! I would like to know who the flaming idiots were who showered us with this civic abomination.